Naked
by azi1
Summary: Inspired by the song "Naked" by Avril Lavinge, a sweet thing in a bar. This is my first attempt so please be nice :)


Disclaimers: I have no intention of insulting anyone, and I do not own Hannibal Lecter, Clarice starling or any other characters associated with the "Silence of the Lambs" series. They belong to Thomas Harris and the publishing company that payed for the books. Also I don't own the song "Naked" which was sung by Avril Lavinge, it belongs to her and the record label. And anyway, who would want to read this stuff anyway? So there's no way I could be making money off this. Now that all the legal crud is over with. Hi, this is my first attempt at this so please be nice about flaming me. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~  
  
Clarice was having one of those days. You know those days when you wake up pissed and the rest of your day just makes you more pissed? It went kind of like that, crap after crap after crap. She was tired; tired of all the bull the F.B.I. was feeding her, she wanted to make all the shit in her life disappear even for a while. That's why she was in this bar. Some of her more friendly ex-coworkers told her it had good drinks and good bands playing. For the most part they had been right. The atmosphere had a smoky relaxing feel to it, the drinks had all been okay, and the music was decent. The bartender turned his attention to her and she ordered a usual; jack and coke. The bartender gave her a look and gave her a shot glass with a reddish liquid. "On the house. You look like you need something real strong."  
  
"What is it?" she asked, it smelled spicy and like alcohol, Tabasco and something really strong.  
  
"Death, careful it's strong", He took out a bottle of coke and gave it a shot of jack, "its got everclear in it". He smiled, "I wouldn't drink it all at once." All Starling could do was give a weak smile, before he was gone.  
  
She sat in silence sipping her coke and absentmindedly listening to the band play,  
  
II wake up in the morning,  
  
Put on my face.  
  
The one that's gonna get me,  
  
through another day.  
  
Doesn't really matter,  
  
how I feel inside.  
  
'Cause life is like a game sometimes.I  
  
Those words. Is it all a game to you Hannibal? Clarice let her mind wander; she was too tired to stop it. Faces. Is that what they did to me? She was unconsciously sipping her drink faster now, What was it all for Clarice? Lecter's voice rang through her mind, Is it for you? Or your dearly departed daddy? His voice was comparable to a growl from a savage beast, Or is it for your precious F.B.I. and the hiss of a-  
  
Clarice's train of thought was broken for a brief moment; she could have sworn she felt his gaze on her. Ha, she thought ruefully, how stupid do I think he is? He's too smart to be in DC.   
  
IBut then you came around me  
  
The walls just disappeared  
  
Nothing to surround me  
  
And keep me from my fears  
  
I'm unprotected  
  
See how I've opened up  
  
Oh, you've made me trustI  
  
Images and memories of times long since past flooded her catatonic mind, young Clarice running to greet her father, the two of them wrestling on the grass, him reading a story to her on his big easy chair while she fell asleep. Her head tilted to the side in the typical Lecter fashion. Little Clarice crying when she found out her father was shot; she swore to never let another person to fall needlessly at the hands of a criminal. The Lambs - her days at the academy with Ardelia eating pizza and cramming for an all nighter -the lambs-she was walking down the hall in Baltimore, staying close to the right - the lambs - the feeling of nervousness and adrenaline - the crying lambs - Biggs throwing cum in her face - 9 year old Clarice carrying a lamb away from the farm - Hannibal's eyes like red points in the dark, boring holes in her and scaring her shitless - the police officer that caught her shooting the lamb in front of her terrified eyes BLAM!  
  
She was brought back to the world of the living by a tap on her shoulder by the bartender. "Miss, that man bought you a drink." he passed her another coke and jack and pointed to the far corner of the room, a man in long black jacket, wearing slacks and a black fedora. Clarice gave the man another weak smile and downed the shot glass of the death he gave her earlier. The way it burned brought her senses together and threw a $20 on the table before she made her to the far table.  
  
IBecause I've never felt like this before  
  
I'm naked  
  
around you  
  
does it show?  
  
You see right through me  
  
and I can't hide  
  
I'm naked  
  
around you  
  
and it feels so rightI  
  
The closer she got, the more her knees gave way. When she reached him his head was tilted down, as she sat down he looked up at her, his eyes, as steady and intense as a hawk's met hers in a jolt of electricity. "Hello Clarice." His voice was like liquid metal, proving their little incident at the lake had no effect on him, except...  
  
"My god Hannibal! Is your hand alright?" She grabbed left hand then it was like a fire exploded in her body, and she dropped it.  
  
"On a first name basis now are we?" He tilted his head slightly to get a better view of her shocked face. "Did you want to see my hand? He held it out for her to observe. Clarice brushed it lightly with her fingertips. Where he had cut himself, only a thin white line below the knuckle was all that was visible of that night.  
  
"I'm sorry Doctor it was incredibly rude of me to call you by your first name." Clarice now aware of her mistake, most likely brought on by the alcohol.  
  
"Apology accepted, now how have you been as of lately? And don't lie, I know if you're lying." Lecter watched her closely as she pondered this question. To him she was still the vision of beauty, although she had dark circles under her eyes and she emanated weariness. Not to mention that tonight she wore the stench of alcohol like a perfume.  
  
II'm trying to remember  
  
why I was afraid  
  
to be myself and let the  
  
Covers fall away  
  
I guess I never had someone like you  
  
to help me, to help me fit  
  
in my skinI  
  
Starling was nervous, but what could she have to lose now. And besides wasn't he there even when she didn't want him there? She let out a deep breath and took a sip of her coke before she began, "Not well. Pershall finally got me booted out from the F.B.I. and now I'm stuck. Ardelia got moved back home to help take care of her sisters' kids, and the lambs are still screaming. Now Dr. Lecter, why are you here?"  
  
"Now, now Clarice, your drawl is more prominent, I certainly hope it's the liquor, or are you getting soft on me?" He put on his best face, truthfully though he'd abhors it on anyone else but on her, he didn't mind.  
  
Clarice took a long drink from her coke and jack before continuing. "Quid pro quo Doctor, remember?" She made a conscious effort to hide her drawl, but she could feel the everclear take it effect.  
  
Lecter gave a small chuckle and he smiled showing his small white teeth, "Clarice, you try to hide yourself from the world," he moved in closer so that he was by her ear, "you know you can't hide anything from me right?" Starling stiffened at this remark. Is it true she mused. She tried to study his face, but remained a mask of polite stone.  
  
II never felt like this before  
  
I'm naked  
  
around you  
  
does it show?  
  
You see right through me  
  
and I can't hide  
  
I'm naked  
  
around you  
  
and it feels so rightI  
  
You know you want it, then go for it. NO! He's a convicted criminal, he's a cannibal, he's insane! Who else knows you better, he's your other half. What if he just kills you after you get boring? He wouldn't hurt me, I know he wouldn't. What would daddy think? Daddy would want me to be happy. Hannibal watched this internal struggle with interest; strength of both physical and mental was what he likes about her the most. "Clarice?" He interrupted her inner turmoil. She looked at him her eyes had unshed tears in their depths. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes. No. Yes, I'm alright." She shakily answered; she took a drink from her drink to wet her parched throat.  
  
II'm naked  
  
Oh oh yeah  
  
Does it show?  
  
Yeah, I'm naked  
  
Oh oh, yeah yeahI  
  
"Doctor, you haven't answered my first question," He acknowledged her with a nod and the tilt of his head. " Exactly why are you here? And please no games."  
  
"Forgive me," He looked at her straight-faced and eyes brimming with pent up emotion. " I came to check up on you."  
  
II'm so naked around you  
  
and I can't hideI  
  
Amusement danced in his eyes. He could almost see the little wheels in her head turn. He could smell the apprehension and adrenaline that lingered around her, much like the first time they met.  
  
IYou're gonna (you're gonna) see right through, baby  
  
you're gonna see right throughI  
  
A tiny smirk appeared on the good doctors face. Someone that does not know him wouldn't have detected it, but Clarice knew him, she knew he had something else. It felt like time slowed as they had their mental challenge of wits.  
  
II'm so naked around you,  
  
and I can't hide,  
  
you're gonna see right through, baby.I  
  
"And Clarice," He broke the gaze. "I wanted to see you." He let his voice trail off as he watched her eyes change from an analytical F.B.I. agent, to Clarice Starling the person.  
  
"How do you know exactly what I want?" Her voice was thick with emotion and loose from the alcohol. A single tear dropped from her eye down to her cheek. Hannibal reached over to brush it away; her cheek felt warm where he touched it.  
  
"It's because my dear," He tilted her chin so that she was looking straight into his eyes, and kissed her lightly on her lips. "We are two of the same." Clarice opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. He held out his hand to her, and was slightly surprised when she took it. Seeing him, the fearsome Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter surprised brought a smile to her lips, she made a note to remember that face later on. She squeezed his hand and swung his arm a little much like a young girl, and they walked out the bar door hand in hand. Clarice knew that somewhere her daddy was smiling down on her, happy because his little girl finally found happiness and peace. 


End file.
